A convicted sex offender began a relationship with a mother of young children – but kept his vile past a secret.

It was only when he had to attend Margate police station for officers to check his mobile phone that it was discovered.

Pervert Ashley Tuck, 32, was spotted desperately trying to erase images from his mobile – and officers discovered they were sick sex pictures.

Now a judge has jailed Tuck, of Rowe Close, Margate for five years and ordered he serve an extra three years on licence when he is released.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that police then scoured Tuck’s online activity and revealed he had been swapping pictures with other paedophiles.

Prosecutor Peter Forbes said Tuck had been convicted sex offender since 2009 and was subject to periodic checks by police.

But when he went into the station, officers said they wanted to examine his mobile telephone.

Mr Forbes said it was then that officers noticed him deleting images from the phone while trying to hide it under the table.

Tuck then admitted he had downloaded images from the internet – but during further investigations it was revealed he had begun a relationship with a woman with children who was unaware of his sordid past.

“You denied you were sexually attracted to young children but that is just you minimising your offending. It is abundantly clear that you have a perverted sexual interest in children” - Judge Adele Williams

Judge Adele Williams told him that she had been left traumatised after police revealed the truth and the revelation had caused her “great anguish”.

Tuck was re-arrested and later admitted 11 sex offences including sharing vile child sex images with other paedophiles on the Internet.

The judge said that when he was quizzed by police he had admitted downloading images of young girls.

She said that doctors and psychiatrists had examined Tuck but concluded he wasn’t suffering from any mental disorder.

“But what is clear is you lack insight into your offending and you have claimed you felt that what you were doing wasn't completely wrong.

“You denied you were sexually attracted to young children but that is just you minimising your offending. It is abundantly clear that you have a perverted sexual interest in children.”

She added: “I have come to the conclusion that you pose a significant risk to young children and therefore I am passing an extended prison sentence, together with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

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